Magic Arrows
by sassywriterchick
Summary: What if Marian was kept secretly alive at the end of season two by a sorceress, keen on getting back what is hers? Robin/Marian Merlin/Morgana
1. Chapter 1

_Hi! So glad you decided to read. __This first part is a little weird, its set directly after the last episode of season two._

_Then it skips ahead a year, and is set in-between episodes 9 and 10 of season three. (episodes 1-9 remain the same as in the show.) _

_It is a Merlin/Robin Hood story but only two characters from Merlin will be in it and won't appear for a little while. Enjoy! Also my grammar is not the best, but I'm working on it  
_

_- Sage_

"Marian?" she tried to reach through the darkness to find him, but she couldn't lift her hand, couldn't say his name. A heavy weight was settling over her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Soon the darkness took her, and she was gone.

* * *

"I Marian, take you Robin," she started and Robin smiled. Everything would end happy for once, and no one could stop them.

All the sudden a sword was in his hand, and he plunged it into her side, The tip ripping through her body.

"You didn't save me." her voice echoed, "You might as well have killed me yourself."

Robin awoke with a start, on the boat heading back to England. _It was just a dream_, he told himself. Just another painful reminder of what he had lost.

* * *

One year later

"Miss?" A small girl, maybe the age of five, tugged on the end of Kate's skirt. She knelt down next to the girl, she could hear Robin's footsteps behind her, probably come to tell her that it was time to move on to the next village.

"Is the Nightwatchman coming anytime soon? My Mummy has told me stories about his brave adventures." The little girl piped. Kate opened her mouth to say something, but did not know what, she had heard of the Nightwatchman yes, but had never met him. Lucky for her, Robin came just in time and cut in.

"The Nightwatchman," Robin knelt down as well, and took the little girl by the hand, " will always look out for you. Just hope and He'll be there. In here." He pointed to the little girls heart.

"He's working with you then?" she asked, her little face lighting up.

"Something like that." Robin smiled, and the little girl scampered back to her mother. The moment she left Robin's face fell into lines of despair, and his shoulders slumped. He began to walk towards the forest. "Take care of the rest of the villages,"he told Much, who was waiting on the outskirts of the village."I'm going on a walk."With that, he disappeared. into the forest.

"You go on." Kate told Much, and knowing she probably shouldn't, she began to follow Robin. They walked for a long time, with her carefully ducking out of sight every time he turned around, muttering "I'm losing my mind." when he didn't see anyone. They stopped in a small clearing, and Kate ducked behind a tree, as he knelt down next to the tall tree that dominated most of the clearing.

"I promised I'd keep fighting for you," he was saying, "and I'm trying, really Ma-" Kate realized this was not a conversation to be dropping in on and took a hasty step back, and promptly fell backwards over a tree root, making a large cracking sound when she broke a branch.

"Kate?" Robin looked down at her.

"Hi." she said lamely. Robin was back in his careful mask, where there had been a image of pain before, there was now annoyance, a expression she was familiar to seeing on Robin's face.

"What is so special about this place?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Just a ring." then he walked off to who knows where, but this time Kate didn't dare follow.

Marian opened her eyes for the first time in a year. The first thing she saw was sand. Sand? She closed her eyes and opened them again, and realized she was staring at a ceiling, crafted from rough sand colored rock.

"Robin?" she croaked, the last thing she could remember was his voice, pleading her name.  
"Marian?" it wasn't Robin, but she still knew that voice.  
"Carter?" She tried to sit up, but ropes bound her to the bed she was resting in. So instead she turned her head to look at him. "Where are we?" She fought back tears, Robin would never have tied her up again.  
"I don't know, haven't been awake for much longer, just enough for them to prod at me like I'm some freak of nature." He sounded bitter.  
Sounds, echoed down the hall… footsteps? 


	2. Chapter 2

_Just a warning, Robin does get drunk in this chapter! I did this because I wanted him to say some things that he normally wouldn't have said, and it also leads to the Robin/Kate breakup (yes they are together I just don't work in their romance.). Oh and blue eyed girl is a nickname I made up for Robin to call Marian:)  
_

_-Sage_

When Kate arrived back at camp later that day, Allan, Little John, and Much were already back. She sat down on a stool next to the fire, and helped herself to some of the stew Much was making. Robin was not there, and for once that was better, because she knew she would never get an answer out of him.

"So," she began her question, " who was the Nightwatchman?"

Much, who had just put in a large mouthful of stew, spluttered and began to choke, Allan thumped him on the back hard.

"Why would you ask that?" he coughed.

"Someone asked about him-"

"Forget about it." John demanded, and Kate looked at him in surprise, John hardly ever snapped at her.

"Why sh-"

"Kate drop it." Allan agreed.

"But I just-"

"Shut up Kate!" Much yelled, so she dropped it.

* * *

"Pretend to be asleep." Carter told her, "Or they won't leave you alone."

Instead of arguing with him like she would have done with Robin, Marian rested her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. She heard a door slam open, and some heavy breathing. Suddenly that breath was in her face and it took everything in her power not to retch.

"She said if you don't wake up today you would have to die. Such a shame, you were pretty too. Looks like your dying too." The man clapped his hands, and she heard Carter being forced to his feet.

"Take them to where they were originally buried and slit their throats."

* * *

Robin stared down at his third empty tankard of mead.

"Another one please." he told the bartender, who quickly refilled it and handed it to the grieving outlaw.

"Robin what are you doing here?" it was Tuck, presumably here to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, but Robin didn't care about Tuck's judgement. All he wanted was to escape from the burden of his guilt.

Every time he shut his eyes, he could see her collapsed on the ground, a sword sticking out of her stomach, blood staining the sand around her.

"MARIAN!" he had screamed, begging, pleading, that it couldn't be her, that it was someone else. Just not her. Not his blue eyed girl.

"Marian?" Tuck asked, and Robin realized he had said her name out loud.

"Forget about it." he snapped and downed the rest of his tankard. "Another," he slurred, maybe one more would wash her blue eyes from his memory. Tuck watched him down two more before intervening.

"No more." and he picked up Robin up around the middle, slapped a bag of coins on the counter, and walked out with Robin still slung over his shoulder.

* * *

Djaq approached where Marian and Carter were buried as she did every end of the week at midday. She wished she had worked quick enough to save both of them. Her skills had not been enough however, and sometimes she blamed herself for their deaths.

"Slit their throats she said." At the sound of voices, Djaq ducked behind the large wooden cross at the head of Marian's grave. When she carefully peeked around the edge to see if the people who were about to die were worth to save, she nearly fell backward.

It couldn't be.

* * *

Robin began to process what was happening as soon as they hit the trees.

"HEY!" he meant to say it as a quiet comment, but it came out more like a drunken screech. Tuck put him down, and Robin, trying to turn around, fell down onto his face.

* * *

Marian felt the mans blade against her skin, and decided it was time to wake up. The man was holding her upright, which made it easy for her to jam her elbow into his stomach. He fell, groaning, and she seized the knife in his hand, and threw it at the hand of one of the guards holding Carter, which made it easy for him to knock the other one out.

"Marian!" Carter called out, and Marian felt the cool kiss of a blade against her neck.

"Witch. " The man snarled, and Marian tasted death for the third time. But before he could make the fatal jerk of his fingers, he gasped, and Marian had just enough time to duck out of the way before his dead weight crushed her into the ground.

She whipped around to see who had saved her, and to her surprise it was Djaq.

* * *

Everyone was waiting for Robin to come back. Tomorrow was the prince's birthday, and Isabella was throwing a huge celebration, with Prince John himself attending.

Tuck had left around one hour ago to find the missing leader, who had not been seen since drop offs this morning.

"I've got him!" Tuck yelled and they were all horrified to see Robin slung over his shoulder, was he injured in some grievous way?

"MASTER!" Much cried and jumped to his feet.

"He's in no way injured. Just drunk." Tuck sighed, and put Robin down onto the ground.

"Drunk?" Little John, for as long as they had all known Robin (even Much) he was never drunk, or even mildly tipsy.

"Yes. Drunk. I have no idea if he will be in any condition tomorrow to fight. We may have to do it without him." Tuck replied.

Robin, who had thankfully remained silent up until this point, now said:

"PSH. I am Robin Hood!" then he preceded to vomit and fall in his own mess. Kate sat him down in a chair and began sponging off his face with a wet cloth. Much muttering "Unbelievable" as he cleaned up the floor.

"Marian, I missed you." Robins slurred words broke. Everyone in camp froze, all staring at Robin, who had his eyes shut. Tuck grabbed a piece of parchment they had in case for emergency's and began to write.

"Marian this is a dream." and everyone was shocked to see tears streaming down Robin's face. "Isn't it?" _He thinks he's asleep, _Kate thought, and she looked frantically at Much, who mouthed "_Say something!" _

"Who said dreams aren't real?" she said softly.

"Marian," his voice was rough with pain. "Everything is a choice. Everything we do. Why did you choose to leave me? Why did I choose to leave you behind? I can't take it. Any of it. Sherwood isn't.." he stumbled over his words, "Home without you. I keep expecting to see you come bursting through the entrance, but you won't come. You won't come ever again."

"Robin-" She began, but stopped. These must be just drunken words, Marian probably didn't even exist.

"BECAUSE I FAILED!" he yelled suddenly. "I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. I WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOU. THAT'S WHAT THE THE VOWS WE TOOK MEANT!, " he voice lowered. "Death do us part."

Done cleaning him up, Kate took a step back, and Robin put his head in his hands.

"That's the sick part of it all." he whispered, "is we were married for a minute, maybe two, before death separated us. I should have died! Not you. Not my blue eyed girl."

Much stared at Robin in shock. He had hardly mentioned her for months. and "blue eyed girl" well he must have only called her that when they were alone. Kate looked pained, she obviously wished that Robin was talking about her, not Marian. Kate didn't know how much Marian had meant to Robin though.

"Come on then." Kate helped Robin to his bunk and tucked a blanket over him.

"I love you my blue eyed girl."

"I love you my outlaw." Kate said, hoping she said the right thing.


	3. Chapter 3

_I do kinda pair Kate+Much together but at the same time I think Kate+Archer would be cute together. I don't know which one will happen (if any) but keep tuned!_

_Sage_

"Is it really you?" Djaq asked, staring in shock at Marian.

"Djaq?" she asked, as in much shock as her. "Is Robin here?"

Djaq shook her head and Marian's spirits sank.

"We must get under cover." Carter said. "they could be coming at any time." Djaq nodded, and seemed to think for a moment.

"We should take him." she gestured to the one unconscious man, who wasn't injured or dead, "we need to figure out how you are alive."

Marian didn't care about how she was alive, all she wanted was to get back to England, but they would be able to start their journey home sooner if they knew the circumstances of her survival.

"We will go to Bassam's house." Djaq said, and they all agreed.

* * *

When Robin woke up again, he had a pounding headache. He inwardly groaned to himself as he remembered the things he had said last night, the things he had blurted out in a fit of drunken madness.

"Where are the others?" he asked Much, who, as far as he could tell was the only one around. Much looked highly uncomfortable.

"Nottingham." Much said. Robin could tell Much was struggling to tell him something, but Robin didn't know what.

"Much?" he asked, wondering why his loud friend was being so quiet.

"Master I think you need to break things off with Kate." Much blurted out, and Robin looked at him in surprise. Then he put his face in his hands.

"I know." he said into his them.

"WELL..Wait what?" Much had clearly expected Robin to put up a fight.

"She's just a distraction, and it's not fair to her." Whenever he kissed Kate, there was always a moment, right before he opened his eyes that he could see Marian, looking at him with a "_What __ are you doing Robin?_" look on her face.

Wanting to move on to other topics he asked: "What's the plan for tonight?"

"Master are you sure you-"

"Just tell me the plan Much."

So Much told him, but Robin wasn't listening. He could already tell this plan wouldn't work. They would need a different one. One of his plans.

* * *

The mother of the young girl who had asked about the Nightwatchman in the village, bowed in front of Isabella. "My lady." she said.

"Did you manage it?" Isabella snarled, she needed to see him die. Even more than she wanted to see Gisborne die.

"Yes, my lady. I found Robin Hood's weakness."

"and what is it?"

"Someone named the Nightwatchman." Maybe now the sheriff would let her husband out of the dungeons.

Isabella smiled. "Get me the Executioner from about a year ago." everyone knew the Nightwatchman had almost been hanged by the old sheriff, but had escaped. Maybe the executioner would know this person's true identity.

About one hour later the man walked in, and bowed before her.

"I have a question to ask you." Isabella got up from her chair and went to stand in front of the man. "Do you know the true identity of the Nightwatchman?"

"Sir Gisborne swore me-" Isabella clutched the man's face in between her hands. "Tell me." She spat.

"I believe it was Lady Marian miss."

Isabella shoved the man away from her in disgust. "Escort him out!" she yelled at the guards.

She sat back down in her chair. So this Marian was messing things up again. She sat up suddenly, realizing that her brother had killed Marian, but only a few people knew this. She smiled, a plan already forming.

* * *

"Kate will you take a walk with me?" Robin asked, and Much watched the pair leave, questioning whether he did the right thing or not, but Much didn't think Master would ever get over Marian, and Kate deserved someone that would always love her, would never even think of leaving her.

Someone like him...

The second he thought this thought he pushed it out of his mind. If you thought to hard and long about dreams like that, they fell through your fingertips. He had seen that happen before, Robin had clung to hard to Marian, desperate that she would be okay, that they would be together, but none of that mattered in the end.

* * *

It took hours to get back to Bassam's house. They had to avoid people period. Marian and Carter could have covered their faces sure, but an unconscious man being dragged along by Carter tended to draw suspicion.

Right before they got to Bassam's, Marian collapsed, and not long after Carter did as well. Her scar felt like it was on fire. Djaq first dragged them both inside, then examined each of their scars which had turned a bright red.

"It's fine." she said in surprise, "it's fully healed. I'm guessing that after not putting any weight on it for over a year, it's just acting up."

"Do you think it will always act up?" Marian asked and Djaq nodded.

"Not very often though." she smiled, and Marian smiled back.

"Time to interrogate the man." Carter said, and they all stared at the man slumped against the wall where they had left him.

* * *

Kate was still avoiding looking at Robin. Even though he felt awful about breaking it off with her, he knew it was for the best. He was broken, and he didn't think he could be fixed, unless Marian was somehow alive, which was impossible.

They stood in front of the castle, each of them preparing for battle. Robin, and Much were to sneak in the castle disguised as guards, Kate as a serving girl, her hair wrapped so no one would recognize her, and Tuck, Allan, and John waiting outside for the signal.

"See you in the hall." Robin said to Kate, who rolled her eyes and joined the line of serving girls outside the castle.

Much and Robin snuck into the balcony overlooking the main hall, where they ditched the uniforms and sulked in the shadows, waiting for the right time. He had an arrow notched in his bow, ready at any time to fire an arrow and embarrass both Isabella and Prince John, but the Prince was not there.

"Attention, my lords and ladies." Isabella announced. "I'm afraid the Prince couldn't make it. However I have some news for you all. I'm sure all of you remember a Lady Marian."

Robin nearly dropped his bow, eyes wide.

"We now have the cause of her death. ROBIN HOOD KILLED HER!" She screamed the last four words so the whole castle could hear. "I'm sure you would-"

Robin dropped his bow and ran.

_I switch POVs a lot sorry. I originally wrote this all out on paper so it looks a lot longer._

_Thanks for reading!_

_-Sage_


	4. Chapter 4

Robin went to the one place he had been avoiding since his return to England. The one place that might not have changed, even though everything else had. He opened the door to Marian's room and stepped inside. It looked as if she could walk in at any second, her blue eyes staring in surprise.

_"What are you doing here?" _she would have asked, after quickly shutting her door to make sure no one saw them. Even as he pictured it, the memory's faded. He sat down on the edge of her bed. If he closed his eyes he could picture he sitting beside him, her dark brown curls tucked behind her ears, her blue eyes narrowed in exasperation as he told her of his latest schemes.

Robin had never thought he would turn into Carter, hellbent on revenge and never properly said goodbye. He now knew that he was exactly what Carter had been. He also knew what he had to do in order to gain closure, to be able to finally move to the next part of his life, this time without Marian. Robin looked around his room for what would be the last time. He left, closing her door, shutting the memory's of stolen kisses and half baked schemes with it.

He went back to the main hall, he didn't know how long he had been gone, but it couldn't have been to long since Isabella was still talking about Marian. Robin didn't even think, he fired an arrow so it barely skimmed her cheek. She did not deserve to say Marian's name on her lips, Gisborne's sister. The whole lot of them messed everything up.

"Lies, Sheriff. Lies!" He yelled, and walked past Much and down into the main hall. He jumped up onto the main table, laden with food. He began to kick dishes everywhere, into peoples faces, onto the floor where they shattered and broke.

"What's wrong Hood? Can't face yourself after what you did?" Isabella snarled.

"Really?" Robin stepped closer to Isabella. "Do you really think I would kill my own wife?" he wasn't sure hwy he said it, but he saw the flash in Isabella's eyes and knew he had succeeded in making her angry.

"GU-" He kicked a bowl of stew in her face. While she was to busy spluttering, and everyone else was to surprised to do anything, Robin ran for it pulling Much and Kate, who had been watching the whole thing with an angry expression, on his way out.

"RUN!" he yelled to the others, and they all ran for it until they reached the cover of the trees.

* * *

While Will was walking back to Bassam's house, he began to daydream of England. The green of the trees, the camp, Robin's wild plans, Little John's short barked commands, Much's babbling, Marian's quiet voice telling them news from the castle, and Allan's jokes. He pushed those thoughts out of his head, the gang would not be the same as it was before, he had seen the carefully controlled torrent of emotions ready to break. Robin could be dead on a brainless attempt on Isabella's life for all Will knew.

He heard raised voices and wondered who on Earth Djaq was arguing with. Djaq hardly ever raised her voice.

"Djaq I have to go back now! We should be leaving at this moment." He knew that voice. But it was impossible. Marian was dead, he had seen her body vanish under the sands forever.

He shut the door, and the woman, who he supposed was Marian turned around.

"Will?" she smiled and gave him a hug, and Will knew he wasn't seeing things.

"Marian? How are yo-"

"I don't know." she obviously had been asked that question before.

"Yes and that is why we need to figure it out before you go storming off to England! You blacked out earlier and we need to know why." Will had never seen Djaq and Marian looking so annoyed with each other.

"It doesn't matter, I need to go back!"

Will still had no idea what was going on.

* * *

When they got back to camp, Robin prepared to tell them his plan, but before he could do so, Tuck slammed him against a tree.

"We had a plan!" he roared in Robin's face. Robin shoved him off him, his head already ached, he didn't need it to be slammed against a tree.

"The plan wasn't going to work." Robin rubbed his head. "The prince wasn't coming. He wouldn't have after we humiliated him last time."

There was a pregnant pause, before Robin broke it. "I'm leaving." "

"What do you mean?"' Kate asked, obviously forgetting her previous annoyance with Robin.

"I'm leaving England. Tomorrow." and with that he walked off back towards camp.


	5. Chapter 5

"Marian you must give me a couple of months to make sure you are all right."

"I'm fine! I'm alive and everything." Marian was starting to really get frustrated with Djaq. Djaq didn't understand her need to find Robin, to tell him that she couldn't live without him. That she was a fool before, that they should get married again, just for a happy ending.

"Three months." Djaq argued. Marian gave in, knowing this was the soonest Djaq would go.

"Fine. Let's interogate him then." Marian snapped, and, still angry, simply grabbed a water skin and poured it on the man's face. He awoke with a start, gasping, and thrashing at the bounds that held him.

"Where am I?"

Marian knelt down beside him, a steely look in her gaze.

"Tell us what you know or we will kill you." Her words had their desired effect. The man's eyes widened and he began to tell them everything he knew.

* * *

"What do you mean, you are leaving England?" Much demanded as he walked in on Robin packing the next morning.

"I'm going to the Holy Land." He threw his hunting knife back his bag, along with some spare clothes.

"and why are you doing that?" Tuck cut into their conversation.

"I need closure." He said, and avoided looking everyone in the eye. He didn't want them to see the fear in his eyes, the fear that even after he properly said goodbye, the memory of her final moment's would never fade...

* * *

"_MARIAN!" he frantically screamed at the sight of her pale form lying against the sand, blood already staining the earth around her. He couldn't be to late. He ran as if the world was ending, and it would if she died, his world would end. He knelt by her side, the Sheriff's vengeful screams bouncing off his ears._

_"The King?!" She gasped straining to catch a glimpse of him._

_"Marian, he's fine you saved him."_

_Djaq looked at him with sad eyes, and he knew his world was ending._

_"It hurts." Marian whimpered._

_"We can't take it out just yet." He whispered, not believing it. It couldn't be happening.  
_

_"Am I going to die when it comes out?" He couldn't bring himself to nod, but somehow she knew. "Then we haven't got much time my darling." She said, tears streaking from her eyes into her hair._

_"We have forever my love!" his voice came out in a strangled sob. No, he had forever without her, the one thing that made this world bearable._

_"I hope we have forever in heaven, because we didn't have enough time on Earth. Not nearly enough time." No time. That's what she meant. No time at all. No time to be happy, to live in the open, to achieve all the things on their list. Find Larder, bring the king home, defeat the sheriff and get married. The words he had repeated in his head over and over, until they could have their happy ending.  
_

_"We were busy." he half laughed, half sobbed. To busy to see what was in front of them, to busy to see past the lines, to see the mad passion Gisborne had for her. _

_"We were busy. We were fighters and I'm proud." She smiled slightly, as if imagining what things would have been if a sword was not in her stomach and he was not kneeling over her.  
_

_She stared into his eyes with a fiery determination. "You keep fighting for me Robin." She demanded.  
_

_"I- I can't fight without you." the memory of her had been what had kept him going in the Holy Land, made him fight through the fever, pushed all of his doubts out of his mind when he thought of his lifestyle, pushed it out with those blue eyes. His blue eyed girl.  
_

_"I'd love to argue with you but we haven't got enough time." she sounded almost content, as if she truly wanted to argue with him, but they were out of time, she was right.  
_

_"You promise me you'll keep fighting." she urged. He could hardly breathe, as he felt all of his life drain out of him with her._

_"I will." he promised.  
_

_"Now where were we?" she asked, a slight smile curving her lips._

_"What?"  
_

_"The last time we were dying," but that had been different he thought. They would have died together. Now she was leaving him. "we were getting married. Can we carry on please?" there was no one left but him and Marian, as his world slowly capsized._

_""I can't remember," he lied, of course he did, he just wanted to see her laugh one last time.  
_

_"Well that's the last time I marry you," she laughed, "If you don't even remember!" She smiled at him through her tears.  
_

_"Robin." The king held out a large red ring, Robin took it, even if he couldn't look the king in the eye, knowing that it was his stupidity that was killing her.  
_

_"I Robin take you Marian, to be my wedded wife." he pleaded, with anyone. Let me die. Not her."To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish," his voice choked on the last few words as he realized their meaning, once so simple, now so painful. "Till death do us part."  
_

_ "I Marian take you Robin, beautiful beautiful lord of Locksley, to be my wedded husband. I promise to love and to cherish you on Earth, and especially in Heaven," her voice smiled, if their was such a thing, for it uplifted it a watery sort of way, "for now and forever until death do us part." even after it.  
_

_"Kiss me." she ordered. he leaned in, ready to press his lips against hers in one last desperate moment of passion.  
_

_"No!" she closed her eyes briefly, "Give me the ring first, make an honest woman of me Robin." he slipped the ring onto her finger and brought it up to his lips, praying this was all a nightmare, not real, even though he knew it was. Then he leaned down and kissed her face, feeling the curve of her smile for the last time.  
_

_"I love you, my husband." she sighed, and seemed to realize this was really it.  
_

_"I love you my wife." More than you will ever know.  
_

_She stared at him in bliss for one moment longer, as he stroked her face.  
_

_With an agonizing scream that would echo in his ears for the rest of his days, she ripped the sword from her body and flung it upon the sand. Her face contorted with pain._

_"Shhh" he whispered, as if he could take her away her pain and stroked her face faster.  
_

_Thats better." she smiled, and closed her eyes, her once rapid breaths fading into nothing.  
_

_"Marian?" he whispered, though her hand had slipped from his arm, "Marian?" _

_He sobbed one quick sob, before leaning down to kiss her again, her lips already turning cold, and he didn't notice her shallow breaths, even as he scooped her in his arms and held her as if she was the kings crown, and carried her to her grave, where a squad of men had already buried Carter. He set her down on the sand, and pressed his lips against hers one last time, but her eyes didn't open, didn't show that she was still barely alive, so Robin left the king's men to bury her, not wanting to see her truly disappear.  
_

* * *

Robin shook himself out of the haze of memory.

"Closure on what? Kate demanded. "Some lover who left you for another man?"

Robin whirled around, Marian's last moments still slightly echoing in his ears as they always did. "If my left me you mean we were forced apart by death, and if by "Left me for another man" you meant Gisborne killed her while she was defending the kind than you are right!" He turned away.

"Goodbye." and with that, he left camp.

* * *

3 months later

* * *

_"My lady?"her faithful servant bowed down before her. _

_"I have a mission for you." Morgana smiled, her eyebrows raising a tiny bit as if to say why else would call you here?_

_"Anything you wish my lady." he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it._

_"I want you to kill a certain group of outlaws." Emerys was with them. Therefore they all must die._

_Robin Hood looked up. "and what do these outlaws call themselves?" it looked like Robin, and used the same voice, but the cold glint in his eyes didn't belong to him, nor did the ice in his voice._

_"They call themselves Robin Hood." if Robin showed any recognition at his old name, he didn't show any._

_"Of course my Lady."_

Morgana woke with a start, panting, but soon she smiled. Things might finally go her way for once.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks to my one follower and review! :) I got so excited. I didn't think anyone would because I'm not terribly pleased with the writing, I feel like it's a little bit rough. SO this chapter starts off where Marian and the others have just arrived in Port, and Robin has to. Will they meet? Read to find out:)_

_-Sage_

They walked through the streets of port, and Marian was startled by the sheer noise of the people, the amount of ones who lived on the streets. She fingered the fat coin purse at her belt, she would have to give some to them..

Carter pulled her sideways into an alleyway then and she looked at him in surprise.

"Let's pay for the inn first." he said pointedly.

"Where should we stay?"

* * *

Robin knew immediately that he was going to steal from some rich folk. The number of people living on the streets had increased tenfold. He scanned the street for people in which he could rob, when he spotted them, a girl, her hood pulled up, fingered a coin purse, before a man could pull her into an alleyway along with two others.

He set off for them, a smile already on his face.

* * *

"I saw one down-" Marian began, but was cut off from an all to familiar voice behind her.

"My name is Robin Hood and this is an ambush!"

She didn't know exactly why she didn't announce herself immediately, but instead she held a finger to her lips. She pulled her hood down to cover her face, and turned around to face him.

"There are to many poor here don't you think? So I will be taking one tenth from you, to help get them some food." He still had that cocky arrogant smile, but his hair was cut short, and he wore different, more fancy clothes. She decided she didn't like it.

"Robin Hood you say?" she said in an accent, she wanted to see how much had really changed before he saw her.

"Yes that would be me." his bow was notched, but he seemed less willing to use it. He looked tired, and her first thought was, _why is he here?_

"Tell me your true name, and I will give you all the money in my purse." she said, and decided that she was not imagining things, it was him, it showed in the confusion then realization on his face.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." Robin of Locksley lied.

"Don't you," she finished the rest in her normal voice, "Robin of Locksley." then unable to contain herself any longer, she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

* * *

When the woman kissed him, it felt like he was kissing Marian. He pulled away and shoved her against the alley wall, not hard enough to actually hurt her, but just enough to shake her.

"Who are you?" he snarled and pushed back her hood, then brought his lips crashing back to hers.

* * *

He pulled away again, and she noticed in the back of her mind that the rest of them had left, leaving her and Robin alone. Robin had tears in his eyes, and he began to walk away.

"It's just a dream Locksley." he said to himself.

"Robin wait!" Marian grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"It's me. It's Marian. I'm here." she pleaded with him.

He shook his head, "It can't be you."

Marian knew how stubborn he was, she had fought with him enough, and she also knew him well enough that he would never dream about what she was about to do.

She raised her hand and slapped him, hard, across the face.

"Do you believe me now?" She demanded.

He looked at her, and it was like he was seeing sunlight for the first time. His whole face lit up, then dissolved into pain.

"Marian?" he whispered.

"Robin." was all she got out before he drew her to him. For the first time since waking up in the Holy Land, she allowed herself to cry. He held her close, and his sobs of relief shook her. She pressed her face more deeply into his shirt, and he was still Robin, even if he looked slightly different. For the first time since waking up in that prison, she felt safe. Robin was the only thing in her life that made her feel like this.

"Impossible." he kept murmuring into her hair. It only made her cling to him tighter, until her sobs ceased to exist and her her hair was wet with his tears.

* * *

Morgana watched the happy couple walk towards the inn and smiled. Everything was going as planned.


	7. Chapter 7

Robin still kept expecting to wake up, or for Marian to disappear, but none of those things happened, and he began to relax.

"Why are you hear Robin?" Djaq finally asked, and Robin was surprised this question had not arose earlier. He avoided looking everyone in the eyes, and took a large spoonful of stew.

"Robin?" Marian asked, looking at him concern.

"I wasn't fighting my best." Robin stammered, how did he make himself not sound like an utter fool? "and I thought, if I came back, and said goodbye to you one last time, maybe I could fight better." He still stared at his soup, avoiding Marian's eyes, sure there would be shame in their depths.

"Robin." he looked at her then, "I'm glad you came." She kissed him then, and Robin took her hand in his, and all was well.

* * *

"Magic?" Robin asked for the tenth time. They were in their small inn room, Marian was resting her side, and Robin was pacing up and down the length of the room.  
"That's what he said. Will you stop that? It's making me nervous!" she snapped, and he sat down at the edge of the bed, she moved to sit beside him, and rested her head on his shoulder.  
"You never told me about England." she whispered, and he half laughed and put his arm around her.  
"It's changed." he sighed, and pulled her onto her feet, and began to dance with her. She laughed as he twirled her around, it was almost easy to forget about everything else, the king, England, the Sheriff, tales of magic, they all faded into nothing as he spun her around in a clumsy sort of dance, maybe not as professional as some lord would have done, but it was perfect. They slowly faded into a slow dance, her head pressed into his shoulder as he rocked her back and forth.  
"Vaisey is dead, Gisborne is on the run, and the new sheriff has betrayed me twice." he said into her hair. "But, onto happier topics, we've been married for over a year now." Marian laughed.  
"Lady Hood." he whispred into her hair, and she felt a drop of water hit her head. She pulled away so she could see his face, then she kissed him, hoping the unspoken things could be said between the kiss.  
"I missed you." she said, and he nodded, apparently unable to speak, a few tears streaking down his cheeks, and then the dam broke.  
Robin began to sob, the first time she had ever seen him cry, and she took him into her embrace, stroking his hair as if he was a small child, and murmuring soothing noises.  
"I'm here." she said, "I'm here. I'm alive. I love you Robin of Locksley, I will always love you."

"Oh Blue." it seemed like she hadn't heard him call her that for eons, for it was his nickname for her when they had both been young and foolish, before he had left for the Holy Land.

* * *

_"I need a nickname for you." Robin announced to her as the lay on the hill above Locksley, their hands entwined, painting pictures in the sky._

_"Like what?" she sat up and looked down at him. He seemed to be thinking hard about it, and she smiled and kissed his mouth._

_"I've got it!" he sat up, and took her hand. "I'll call you my blue eyed girl, blue for short." _

_She laughed, and he began to tickle her, "what's so funny huh?" and she laughed until her sides ached, and their lips met._

* * *

Those had been simpler times, full of laughter and promises. Robin calling her Blue was like a tie to what their lives had been, and she loved it. Robin continued to shake, and she wondered where this had been earlier, if he had been like this when she faded into the darkness. She began to sing, something she hardly ever did, even if many people said she had a beautiful voice. She sang in French, a language she had been taught as a young girl, and continued to stroke his hair.

_Je me souviens des larmes qui coulaient le long de tes joues_  
_ Quand je t'ai dit que je ne te lâcherai jamais_  
_ Quand toutes ces ombres ont failli tuer ta lumière_  
_ Je me souviens que tu as dit "ne me laisse pas seule ici"_  
_ Mais tout cela est mort, parti, envolé cette nuit_

_Ferme les yeux_  
_ Le soleil se couche_  
_ Tu iras bien_  
_ Plus personne ne peut te faire du mal_  
_ Viens, lumière du matin_  
_ Toi et moi serons sains et saufs_

* * *

{3 months of traveling later)

"Keep your hoods down." Robin told the others, "Isabella could have captured the gang or worse, and you two," he addressed Marian and Carter, 'keep them up until I give the word."

He took Marian's hand as he said this, and she gratefully squeezed it, happy to be in Sherwood, but scared at what she might find.

"Why are we walking on the main road?"

"I'm hoping the gang will find us." was all he said. She breathed in the scent of Sherwood, of the trees, and dirt and everything that smelled like home.

"I missed the forest." Will said, and Marian nodded.

"I think we all did." Robin said with a tone of utter bliss in his voice.

"IN THE NAME OF ROBIN HOOD, THIS IS AN AMBUSH."


	8. Chapter 8

_HEY! So I do ship Kate and Much, and that will be added in, but if you don't then don't worry, there's not a whole lot, I just wanted to let you now._

_-Sage_

Robin threw back his hood. "Tuck my friend."

"Robin?" as far as he could tell, Tuck and Kate were the only ones there.

"Who else?" he grinned. He was happier than Tuck or Kate had ever seen him, and they looked a little taken aback.

"and," he gestured to Will, who had thrown his hood back as well, "Will Scarlett, who built our camp,"

Marian kept her hood up, hiding partly behind Robin, she hadn't forgotten she should be dead, and even if Robin was happy to have her back, she had no idea how the others would react.

"and this is Djaq-"

"Who is she?" the blonde one, who she assumed was Kate, said rather rudely. Robin turned around, and looked surprised to see that Marian and Carter still had their hoods up, covering their faces.

"Well go on then!"

"I was waiting for your word." Marian snapped and flung back her hood. Carter did the same, but the blonde girl stared at Marian.

"Who is she?" Kate asked, she already seemed out to get her.

"Marian Hood." Marian stepped out from behind Robin completely. Kate looked from Robin, to Marian, then down at Marian's ring finger, which, since all of her engagement rings to him had been lost, was a small wooded band, carved with small designs of Robin's bow, courtesy of Will. It was special to her more than any diamond though, and she hid it behind her back, aware all eyes were on it.

"You leave and get married?" Kate asked, obviously thinking Robin was insane. Marian narrowed her eyes.

"Marian." Tuck repeated, and Kate strode off, obviously annoyed."Wasn't that the name of the girl who died?"

"This is her Tuck!" Robin was grinning, but Marian was still looking after Kate, wondering why she hated her so much. A flash of pain tore through Marian's side, and she groaned inwardly. _Not now. _she thought and clutched her side. This had happened quite a bit, Marian or Carter (never at the same time) would get a pain in their side so severe that they would collapse, their heads filled with images Marian had not shared with anyone, not even Robin. Then they would snap out of it, as if nothing had happened.

Another flash of pain tore through her, and she fell to her knees, holding her head.

"Marian?" Robin turned and saw her, and she tried to force the images out, to stand up and shake it off, but they filled her head with a shaking buzz. Robin didn't say anything, just scooped her up as he had done many times over the last three months.

She didn't hear the impatient sigh Kate made, when she saw Robin carrying her, nor did she see the girl run off, back towards camp.

* * *

Much was around camp, fixing a meal as he always did when he got hungry, when Kate stormed in.

"Whats wrong?" he asked.

"Robin's back. and he got married!" Kate yelled at the sky.

"Wife? Where?" Much spluttered. He _never _though his Master would marry again. Never.

"Yes that's what I said. He's coming to camp, carrying her because she's so delicate." as soon as Much heard Kate speak these words he ran off in the direction of the main road. He came into view of Robin then, and he noticed that Robin had grown his hair back so it was covering his forehead, and was wearing clothes he hadn't worn since Marian died. He almost looked, like the old Robin, if it weren't for the girl he held so carefully in his arms. If it wasn't impossible, he would say that was Marian. He couldn't see her face, as it was pressed against Robin's shoulder. Robin stroked the girls dark hair and murmered, "It will be over soon Blue."

"Master?" Much finally blurted out, because, being Much, he could not stay quiet for very long.

"Much?" Robin smiled. "amazing isn't it?" that's when much saw the girls face and passed out.

* * *

Five minutes later Robin had set Marian down onto a soft blanket of leaves, before turning to his best friend, and trying to prod him awake. He was just about to go and get Djaq when Much awoke, and gasped when he looked over at Marian, who had sat up as well.

"Marian? but your Dead! Wait-"

"Much we don't know how." Robin cut him off, "but she's here and that's all that matters. Now, seeing as your both alright, I have some important buisness to attend to." then he jumped up and walked off into the forest.

Much and Marian looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence, before they both separated, Much muttering something about "Dreaming" when he walked away. Marian did not follow Robin, she headed off in a different direction completely, towards her favorite place in Sherwood, Lardner's tree.

* * *

Robin went to the tree he had visited so many times before, but for once, there was no heaviness in his heart as he knelt beside it, he dug his fingers through the dirt, until he found the circle of metal, with it's glimmering shine, and grinned, off to find Marian.

* * *

Kate was avoiding everyone. She stormed through the woods, not caring who heard her.

"Kate?" Much asked from behind her. She whirled around with such a fury, it would have sent the old Sheriff and Prince John running for cover, but Much stayed put. Good dependable Much.

"How am I supposed to react?" she found herself begging, pleading for an answer, because all of the mixed emotions inside her were ready to boil over.

"Happy I suppose." he answered.

"Happy?" anyone could hear the pain in her voice as she spoke, "he leaves me, goes to the Holy Land, gets married, and expects me to be happy?"

"You think he just met her?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, bewildered.

"That is Marian. The one who we all thought had died. The one Robin married just before she 'died'"

Kate's anger evaporated, and she found herself fighting back tears. Much opened his arms, and she fell into them sobbing. Kate, maybe because she loved him, maybe because she was lonely, pulled Much's face down to hers and kissed him.

* * *

Marian nearly fell backward, and would have, if someone didn't put a hand on her waist to steady her,

"I don't think we should be witnessing this." Robin whispered in her ear, and she jumped slightly. Taking one last glance back at the entwined figures that were Much and Kate, she continued going on to Lardner's tree.

"Where are you going?"

"Larder's tree."

"What? Reminiscing about all the great memory's we had there?"

"Grow up." she snapped, but she was smiling.

* * *

Much was the first one to pull away, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Kate?"

"I'm sorry." she said and stepped away.

"No! Don't be sorry, it was enjoyable," he thought about it for a couple seconds, "wait no that's not what-"

"Much shut up." and she kissed him again, when they pulled away again, Kate spoke again, "Much I didn't know that Robin and I were never meant-"

"You shut up." and he kissed her again.

* * *

Marian shot another arrow at the tree, just barely missing her target.

"Why can I not shoot straight?" she sighed, and went to pull her arrows out the soft bark. _Whoosh! Thud!_ An arrow embedded itself in the tree next to her face, with a ring on it. She recognized it immediately. , her old engagement ring, the very first one...

_"Marian I need to go." his face pleaded with her to understand, but she shoved him away, not wanting him to touch her anymore._

_"No you don't you __clotpole!" she could feel the tears creeping into her eyes._

_"Clotpole? What is that?" _

_"Three words. Robin. Of. Locksley."_

_"Well I can describe prissy in two, Lady Marian!"_

_In her anger she ripped off the ring and chucked it at his face._

_"Consider our engagement over." she ran away, while she heard him call her name, but she wasn't going back, not ever again._

* * *

That was the last time she had seen that ring, but now it was centimeters from her face, on an arrow that was unmistakably Robin's.

"Is that.." she started, "I mean- I thought it was lost."

"You mean after you chucked it at my face?" he smiled, "I always had it with me. I just forgot about it when we were getting married in the Holy Land."

She dug the arrow out of the tree, and held the ring in her hands as if it was something worth far more than even the King's crown, and to her it was. She was surprised to find tears prickling her eyes, Everything had changed. Nothing could go back to what it was, but now she held in her hands a tie to more peaceful times. The ring had stayed the same in the eight years it had been since she had worn it. She had been 19 then, and foolish beyond belief. She had not yet tasted the harshness of death, felt the cold sting of a mans blade against her belly, had not know what it was like to have to pretend to be in love with a man you despised, to be in love with a man on the run, did not know the true meaning of love, of secrets, of wearing a mask and being someones savior. She had changed.

"Everything has changed." she whispered, and Robin put his arms around her.

"I know. But I still love you Marian, that hasn't changed. It never will. Marian will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"Don't leave me. Not ever again."

"I can't."

"I know." he sighed, "No matter what I do, you have always loved me."

"and I always will." she pressed her face against his shirt, "I promise."

"Really?"

* * *

Merlin was lost. He had just gone into the woods to find some herbs, and now he was lost forever. How was he supposed to help Arthur when he rose again, if he could not find his way out the forest. Some familiar words reached his ears as he turned a corner, and he burst in without thinking.

* * *

"With all my heart." those were the simplest words Marian could say to reassure him.

"What did you say?" a scrawny black haired boy burst into the clearing, and Robin and Marian sprang apart, looking at him in shock.

"Who are you?" The boy visibly blushed.

"I'm Merlin." he stammered, "I'm sorry, I'm the new physician from Clun, just lost."

"Clun is that way." Robin pointed, in the opposite direction the boy had been heading.

"Right. Well, bye!" Then he ran back into the woods, Robin and Marian staring after him.

_Ok so yay! this is the longest chapter yet I think, and yes Kate and Much just got together, but I won't focus on their relationship much, don't worry._

_-SAge_


	9. Chapter 9

_I just want to say now, I will NOT be killing off Robin or Marian. I want to say this because it may seem like they are dead, or dying, and I don't want you guys to stop reading because you think they will die. Without further ado, here is the next chapter!_

_-Sage_

* * *

Morgana clenched her teeth together as she watched _him _walk away from Hood and his wife. They would pay for working with him. Even if she wasn't going to kill him, she needed him to kill her one true enemy, it couldn't hurt to make him suffer.

She picked up a fallen arrow and chanted.

* * *

Marian opened her arms, waiting for him to sweep her off her feet like he used to, but instead he cried out and fell to his knees, and arrow sprouting from his upper back.

"Robin?" Marian fell to her knees next to him as he groaned, and ripped the arrow out of his shoulder with another pained cry. She began to panic when his shirt began to turn red, and ripped it off, to ball it up and press it against the gushing wound. Djaq, Will, and Carter had all gone to Nottingham with Tuck, there was no medical expert back at camp, but they still needed to get back there.

"Robin we need to get back to camp." she helped him to his feet, and they staggered through the trees, Marian praying that he would be okay.

* * *

"Allan?" Djaq asked his name, and the once traitor, now outlaw turned to face her.

"Djaq?"

"Allan!" she gave him a hug, before quickly stepping back and linking hands with Will, as if to make sure that Allan knew that she was with Will now, and any romantic relationship between them was out of the question.

"Your he-"

"DJAQ!" Marian screamed, they were on the outskirts of the forest, and Marian stood there, her eyes wide.

"Robin's been shot! Please, he's losing blood."

Djaq immediately ran back to camp, not wasting any time, Will traveling in her wake.

"Oh Robin Hood!" a voice sang through the trees.

"Marian how-"

"No time! Who is that?"

"OH ROBIN HOOD!" the woman yelled, louder this time.

"Awe hell." Allan cursed, "Not her."

"Who?"

"Isabel-"

Marian had already started running. Everyone, who was still in shock by her sudden appearance, waited a couple moments before Allan said:

"I'm not being funny, but if we don't go after her Robin's gonna kill us."

* * *

Isabella scanned the woods, her lip curling in distaste. This was the place Hood called home, the place he returned to day after day, but still his camp remained hidden, a secret kept by the trees, and if trees could talk, well they would be begging for mercy.

"Hood!" she called out. "It's me. I want to talk." she fingered the dagger she held behind her back, under her cloak, ready to plunge it up into his chest, to watch his blue eyes widen in shock as he realized that it was her, Isabella, who had killed him.

"What are you doing in Robin Hood's forest?" a voice, unmistakeably female, said behind her. Isabella whirled around, the dagger still concealed underneath her cloak, observed the woman who was only a few feet from her. She had waves of dark hair that fell to her shoulders, angry blue eyes, and she did not wear a ladies clothes, but a fitting green top with a hood attached, sort of like the one she had heard that Robin Hood had once used, and brown loose pants, with workman's boots. She had a bow clutched in her hands, and it was curved like Robin's, but with a rosy colored wood. It hung loosely at her side, and other than that she was unarmed. Isabella smiled. She would be an easy kill.

"This road belongs to the people." Isabella tried to sound indifferent as she prepared to swing the dagger.

"Are you even human?" the woman asked coldly.

"Who are you? A new member of Hood's gang? Let me give you a piece of advice. Don't try to romance Hood, he's broken by some," she said a word ladies should not use to describe other woman, " that died two years ago."

"Oh believe me, I don't have to romance him."

"and who are you?" Isabella sneered.

"Marian Hood." she said, and her fist came out of nowhere, and slammed into Isabella's face, knocking her unconscious.

* * *

Marian watched with some sort of satisfaction as Isabella crumpled.

"Marian Hood eh?" Allan seemed to have gotten over the shock of her being alive, and was already beginning to tease her. "Got married eh?" he nudged Marian's arm.

"Allan you were there when I got married."

"Oh. Right."

Marian began to run back to camp, Allan's words had reminded her of a much more pressing matter, Robin.

Relief flooded her when she got back to camp, Robin was alive, and leaning heavily against Kate, who must have just gotten back into camp. Marian quickly switched places, so Robin's nice warm weight was leaning against her shoulder.

"Quite a day back." Robin whispered in her ear, and she smiled.

"Now for the real question," Allan said, "what the hell happened in the Holy Land?"

So Marian began their tale, with help from Robin, Will, Djaq and Carter.

* * *

Merlin sighed as lit the fire in his cottage using magic, illuminating the drawings that covered the walls. They were his only source of comfort, the drawings. Rough sketches, but beautiful, of Gwen, Gauis, Gwaine, Percival, anyone who he was thinking about. Mostly Arthur and Morgana however, as if he could wash away what happened to them through the feeling of paper, of scrawling black lines, that could only shadow what had been.

Now these sketches were all he had left of the old days, that and a circle of tall stones, with two in the middle, to represent the round table. The locals had different story's about how the stones had got there, and only Merlin knew the true tale. He had heard that Robin Hood himself had used the stones to interpret a message from the king, while the Nightwatchman almost died in Nottingham. Those stones had been meant to only cherish and worship one King though, one who's reign wasn't over, for Arthur would rise again. He went to bed, not extinguishing the fire, for it made him feel like he was still in Camelot, even if Camelot had fallen long ago, back in Gauis's chambers, warm and safe.

* * *

_"I would rather die, than be with you Guy of Gisborne." she laughed with the truth of this simple sentence, he had his chance, and he'd chose wrong. Everything was a choice.  
_

_"I'm going to marry Robin Hood." She said, and she didn't quite know why she said it, but it was true. She had promised, and even if the King was not coming home, she still would marry him. She loved him that much.  
_

_"I love Robin Hood." It was true, she realized with a flare of passion,the taste of the words on her lips making her giddy, she couldn't live without him, she needed him, just as he needed her. "I love Robin Hood." she repeated, more defiant, more proud. She would never stop loving him. At first she felt no pain, as Guy's sword kissed her side, and he pulled her close, but this bliss didn't last long. A burning fiery pain spread in her belly, and she stared, eyes wide, at the man who had ran her through, the cruel man who let her fall to the ground, let her head slam into the sand, as he turned away, sobs of regret already on his lips, as he killed the woman he thought he knew, but didn't really, the woman he would never know.  
_

_"MARIAN!" Robin screamed,a desperate plea, and she tried to yell back, but she couldn't muster the breath-  
_

_"NO!"_

* * *

"Robin!" Marian sat up gasping for breath, her heart pounding. She was squished next to Robin in a bunk, for he would not let her sleep on the ground, and his arm burned her where it touched her skin.

"Robin?" she turned to look at him, and was horrified, his eyes were wide, and he was shaking, but his eyes were blank, not looking at her, but something else. She could tell he was no longer in this world, but some where far away.

"DJAQ!" she screamed.


	10. Chapter 10

_Robin's hallucinations are in this chapter, and I believe they are a little gory. Or a lot. I DON'T KNOW OKAY. but my best friend who read it absolutely loved it, and that's never a good sign because she likes gore and creepy things, so I don't even know. I've been updating like once a day, SORRY but I'm just kinda addicted to writing this story. LOVE YA GUYS! and I don't own anything, not Robin Hood, not the song used in this chapter. Angel by Sarah McLachlan. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED  
_

Robin was in Nottingham, and everyone was dead. Corpses, of all the people he had helped, even the nobles he had robbed from, all torn to bits like the men in the Holy Land had been. He kept walking though, the blood that ran in the streets in streams soaking through his boots, he was looking for someone, something, Marian. He turned a corner, and gasped in horror, nearly falling over into the blood river beneath his feet.

His gang, their heads, arms, legs, open rib cages, were all melded together to make two thrones, in which a man and a woman sat. He knew the woman immediately, for her blue eyes were never truly gone from his mind, and her face had touched his so many times that he knew her from just a brief glance. She wore a wedding dress, the tips stained read, and a veil, pulled over her hair and partly covering her face. The man wore a veil that covered his face, and he stood up and tore it off, it was Gisborne, and he laughed, as Robin, suddenly unable to move, struggled to get to Marian.

"I told you she should have been mine! and now she is. Until death do us part." when he said he said those words, Marian's head jerked up and she screamed words.

"DJAQ! DJAQ! PLEASE HELP!" She rose with Gisborne, but she was jerked to her feet as if her hands and feet were pulled by strings, and Djaq's head, which rested by Marian's food, spoke as well.

"Help me get him on his back. Much get some water!" the head said before one of Marian's struggles sent it flying.

"MARIAN!" Robin cried out, desperation clear in his tone. He stuggled even more, and Marian's head turned towards him and she began to sing, in that beautiful voice of hers.

_ in the arms of the angel_  
_ fly away from here_  
_ from this dark cold nightmare_  
_ and the endlessness that you fear_

* * *

Two hours later, Robin finally fell asleep, and Marian sat back, her voice hoarse from singing.

"I didn't know you could sing." Much said to her, as they both wearily watched Robin.

"My mother taught me that song, just before she died." Marian rubbed her head, she knew Robin would die if they didn't get a real physician here, right now. She had a plan forming in the back of her mind, but the problem was Tuck. He had assumed control of everything since Robin had lost reality, and said no one was to leave camp.

"Tuck?" she decided it was worth a try asking him first, before she had to knock him out.

"Yes, Lady Marian?" he was so stiff with her, and she didn't know quite how to react.

"I need to leave camp, Robin will die if we-"

"Out of the question." he cut her off.

"But-"

"You are new here, and we have decided to put me in charge. I say no."

"How dare you?" Marian turned and walked back into camp, before sitting back down next to Much. "You have to help me." she whispered in his ear. Someone prodded her shoulder-

"Let me help." Carter whispered, and Marian nodded. He pointed at Much, and mouthed the word "hostage", and Marian nodded, Allan, who had come over just in time to hear this last part of their half baked plan, grinned.

"Excellent plan my friends." Marian rolled her eyes, for there hardly was a plan. "but it's missing one point. Me." Much began to sputter a quiet protest to the whole thing, but Marian cut him off.

"Much, he's the only family I've got left." she pleaded with him to understand, and luckily he did.

"Go ahead." he said and Marian pressed a blade to his throat.

"Wait, what am I going to do?" Allan asked and Carter sighed.

"Figure out how to get us back in camp."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't know figure it out."

Marian ignored the men turned boys squabbling. "LET US LEAVE OR I WILL KILL MUCH!" she yelled, knowing Little John would not believe her, but Tuck and Kate might.

"It's true!" Much grunted and she kicked him lightly, "Stay silent." she whispered in his ear.

"Marian-" Little John began, and Tuck stood guard in front of the door.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted." he said, and for a second Marian was reminded of Guy, with that tone of anger and disappointment. "I won't let-"

BANG! Tuck crumpled as Allan hit him over the head with a cooking pot.

"Allan!" Little John accused.

"I found out how to get you back in camp." he said grinning.


	11. Chapter 11

Merlin drew quickly, recalling the last moments of Morgana's life as he had seen them in his dreams. He scribbled furiously, as if his life depended on getting it out of his head. Sometimes everything got to be to much, the dreams, the memory's that lingered everywhere, ready to jump out at him with extended claws.

"PHYSICIAN!"someone screamed and pounded on his door. Merlin scrambled, hiding all evidence of his drawings. No one needed to see art of him stabbing a woman. He opened the door a crack, and was surprised to see the woman from yesterday, looking at him with desperate eyes.

"Please help. My husband, I believe he's dying."

* * *

_Merlin placed his hand on the Once and Future King's forehead, before, pushing him out into the lake. Merlin felt the tears streaming down his face, as his best friend, disappeared. _

_"I'll keep waiting for you Arthur," he said to the boat. "Trust me."_

* * *

Merlin pushed the memory's of the lake out of his brain, and turned back into his cottage, the woman following.

"What is the name of my patient?" he asked, trying to sound calm and cool like Gauis always managed, but suspected he failed. He hadn't heard Gauis's voice in almost 200 years after all.

"Robin of Locksley."

* * *

Kate had dragged Marian away when she began to threaten Allan for no reason, after they brought Merlin to camp, blindfolded. She dragged her to Locksley, to her Mother's house, and her Mother said nothing, just began making a stew while Kate tried to calm the other girl down.

* * *

Marian's singing was gone, the last echo's fading from his ears, and so was the scene before him, until everything was black.

"Robin. Robin." he smiled and opened his eyes, he was in camp, and the pain in his back had reduced greatly. Marian stood above him, smiling.

"My wife." he reached up to touch her cheek and lightly stroked her face.

"Now and forever my love." she whispered and knelt down and kissed him. He pulled her on top of him, and their kisses deepened, and she pulled away, and stabbed him through the heart with a dagger. Marian had turned into Isabella.

"and you said I wasn't a good kisser." she leaned down and kissed him while he lay dying, and it felt like he was kissing a snake.

* * *

Merlin had finally gotten rid of everyone. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and placed his hand on Robin's back. He only planned on drawing the poison out, but keeping the wound, which was not fatal, there. He couldn't let them know he had magic. Even if they weren't killers, he couldn't afford to trust anyone. If he was burned at the stake, who would help Arthur?

"Estras mesa lepercalla." he muttered, his eyes flashed gold and Robin began to breathe better at once.

"Emrys. I should have known you would have saved the hero. He is so much like Arthur."

Merlin, believing this had to be another nightmare, turned to face the woman he thought he had killed 200 years ago. She was there, her black curls matted together, green eyes regarding him coldly, her pale face bringing back to many memory's. He knew she wasn't a dream.

"Morgana."

"Surprised to see me? You did almost kill me after all." she must have used magic to keep herself young as he did, she looked almost exactly the same as she did before. He held up his hand, but she was quicker, he was sent flying across the camp, slamming into some bunks. She crouched before him, and held a dagger to his throat.

"I would kill you, but I can see your living in hell." she snarled.

"I'll come for you later." she spat in Robin's direction and left the camp.

* * *

Marian had never felt so alone. She felt almost certain that Robin was going to die, and she felt like she had done, just weeks before Robin had come back from the Holy Land, when a letter from one of the King's healers arrived with news of Robin being stabbed.

* * *

_"Lady Marian?" the Sheriff sneered at her back as she turned away to follow her father back to Knighten.  
_

_"Yes?"_

_"I have a letter from one of the king's healers, addressed to you." He smiled at her, showing all of his teeth and rotting gums.  
_

_"Where is it?" she asked calmly, for it could be word from Robin. A mental image flashed through of the mind who had left her for war, and she pushed it away before tears could come to her eyes at the thought of her former best friend._

_"I destroyed it. Couldn't have correspondence from the King now could we? It just said Robin of Locksley was stabbed, ladidadida, was expected to die."_

_She left then, and climbed in the carriage after her Father, her mind blank. Robin dead? She was startled to find tears on her cheeks, after all he had left her for war hadn't he?_

_But the thought that the boy with the bow, shooting arrows at her window until she came out, his hopes and dreams for a better future, his blue eyes, the shape of his smile against hers, his laugh, the infuriating way he talked, the feeling of his arms, dancing with her when her Mother died, gone, with his promises of never leaving her alone. She pushed away her Father's words of comfort, and ran up to her room, her last words to him echoing in her ears, "Consider our engagement over."_

* * *

Of course when Robin had returned, Marian had pretended she didn't know of his injury at all, pretended she hadn't missed him at all. But she had. She pushed herself out of Kate's mothers house and set off to camp, determined to heal Robin.

* * *

When Robin woke up, he ignored everyone, and set off for Locksley, where Kate had taken Marian. He had allowed Djaq to put his arm in a sling before he went off, as to decrease movement of the place he had been hit, but all he cared about was Marian, and seeing that she was okay.

"Kate I'm going back." raised voices met his ears as he limped towards Locksley, and he smiled. Trust Marian to put up a fight.

"Miss me ladies?" he asked, swinging in to the small clearing they occupied.

"Robin!" Kate hugged him, but Marian stayed back. Perhaps sensing the moment, Kate took her leave, talking about going to see Much.

"Well don't just stand there Blue." he joked, and held out his good arm. Her nickname for her seemed to be a trigger word for her, and she stepped into his embrace, crying.

"What's wrong Blue?"

"I thought you were dead. I was positive." He didn't say anything, just waited out the storm of her tears. Marian didn't cry often, it was one of the things he loved about her. When she did, it was best to cheer her up, hold her for a while.

"you do know I am not letting you sleep on the ground again." he said to her and she pulled away, frowning up at him.

"You're wounded! Robin of Locksley, don't think for a minute I'll let you sleep on the ground."

"Well I'm not-"

"No."

"What if I move over?"

"Maybe."

"Maria-"

"Very well." He drew her back into his embrace and kissed her hair.

"I love you." he said.

"I love you too."


	12. Chapter 12

_I meant to update over the weekend, but I got busy writing this story in my notebook, which I later type up and publish on to here._

_I think I wrote about 54 pages handwritten in two days and one hour, and hopefully I'll get there soon. An OC will be added in soon too, a pair for Allan:) Also reviews make me smile and laugh, so thank you to everyone who has reviewed._

Several weeks passed, and everything was normal, where things could be normal when you were apart of Robin Hood's gang.

"Someone is back in Locksley and your not gonna like it." Allan announced as he strode into camp, and plopped a newly collected bag of coins in front of Robin.

"Who?" Robin was distracted, he was playing with the ring on Marian's finger and didn't actually pay attention until an all to familiar name reached his ears. "Gisborne?"

"Yeah apparently he made amends to Isabella and Prince John."

"This we do not like." Little John said firmly, shaking his head back and forth as if he was a dog.

"Does he know Marian is alive?" Robin asked urgently, but Allan shook his head.

"Dunno. I suppose I could try and ask him tomorrow. I mean, it's not like your going into the castle anytime soon." Marian thought for a minute, before deciding on a plan.

"I have a headache, I think I will go to the cave and lie down." she got up and moved out of camp. Allan looked at Robin, eyebrows raised.

"If you believe that-"

"Oh come on Allan!" Robin said, "I'm not that stupid." he jumped up and followed Marian, who was not going alone, that was for sure.

* * *

In the cave were all of her personal belongings they had managed to salvage before Isabella burned it all. She looked around for her Nightwatchman costume, she had sewn a new one, but pushed it away, no need for it as she was a declared outlaw. While she dug through the piles, a familiar dress caught her eye and she held it up. It was still white, even if sand stuck to the seams and a bloodstain was in the side of the stomach on the dress. She had woken up in it in the Holy Land, and even though she had told Robin that she would burn it, she had ended up keeping it anyways. It was her wedding dress after all.

"and what do you think your doing?" Robin asked from behind her and she whirled around, the dress still in her arms, and she supposed she looked like a naughty child who had just done something wrong. She didn't bother making up some excuse, just dropped the dress back down on the pile and continued searching.

"Why were you following me?"

"One, your a terrible liar, two I knew you would go and tell Gisborne your alive." He said cockily. She turned around, and mentally braced herself for an argument,

"Don't think you can stop me." she said.

"I wasn't planning to." Robin threw something at her head, and she caught it. Her Nightwatchman mask. "Ready to give Gisborne the shock of his life?"

* * *

About an hour later, with Marian dressed up as the Nightwatchman, they snuck up to Locksley manor, and hid in Gisborne's bedroom. It was not Robin's, or Marian's, best plan, and wasn't even half planned, but Robin knew that and didn't care. He needed to get the message through to Gisborne.

"This is where we'll be sleeping when the king returns." he whispered in Marian's ear, and she slightly jumped, then turned around and gave him her best _Shut up Locksley_ stare through the eye holes of her mask. He snickered for a moment, before going on red alert when he heard the door open. Robin lunged out, and pressed a knife to Gisborne's throat.

"Scream and you die."

"What? Come to kill me Hood?"

"No, just to give you a warning." Robin said.

Marian stepped up behind him and whispered in his ear, "Robin don't take to long."

"Someone else with you? Show me your face!" Gisborne yelled.

"No-" Robin began but Marian stepped out in front of him, not removing her mask.

"The Nightwatchman? She's dead." Gisborne sneered. "The Nightwatchman was Marian, Locksley, I knew that long ago." Robin tried to signal to her to be quiet, but she ignored him as usual.

"I am no imposter." she removed her mask and hood, letting her dark curls tumble out.

"Do you ever listen to me?" Robin covered Gisborne's mouth so he couldn't speak and shook his head at her.

"What was the point of me coming if I was just going to stand there and be quiet?"

"We will deal with this late. Hold him will you Blue?" she swapped positions with him, so she was holding the knife next to Gisborne's throat. Robin drew another knife from his belt, and held it to Guy's face.

"Listen to me," Robin said carefully, quietly and with a deadly tone in his voice, "If you harm another hair on Marian's head, I will kill you in the most, slow, painful way. Understand?" Gisborne just glared.

Robin punched him in the face, and Gisborne crumpled. The door opened, and in stepped Merlin of all people.

"What are you doing here?" He looked dumbfounded.

"No time to explain, but thank you for saving my life." Robin said quickly.

"YOUR WORKING WITH THEM?" Gisborne yelled, his face red. Merlin, Robin, and Marian all went white.

"OF ALL THINGS TO DO WRONG ROBIN!" Marian yelled at him, and punched Gisborne in the face, and he really did pass out this time.

"CLOTPOLE!" She yelled again, just like she did when he told her they were going to the Holy Land.

"Hey that's my word!" Merlin protested, but they both ignored him, and Merlin immediately shut up. _Not in this time._ He told himself. Robin and Marian, as much as they reminded him of Arthur, they weren't him, and he needed to remember that.

"Well, looks like your outlaw now." Robin grinned at him, before Marian slapped him across the face. "What?! What is it with you woman?"

Marian smouldered at him before jumping out the window, landing like a cat on the grass below. Merlin wasn't angry at his new outlaw status, actually quite the opposite. It felt so exciting to be a part of something good again.

"After you?" Merlin used magic to slow his fall, but not enough magic to raise Robin and Marian's suspicions.

Marian had already left, and Robin led Merlin to their camp. Merlin thought as he walked, what if Arthur rose again when he was still an outlaw? The very thought amused him, and things looked like they were finally looking up. No more drawings, no more sad flashbacks, and Morgana had been quiet for nearly a month. All was well.

* * *

It's not over don't worry I just decided not to end it on a cliffhanger for once.

Still LOTS more to come, and more characters to add in. LOVE SAGE

and yes Merlin is an outlaw now


	13. Chapter 13

_I am now having chapter names. I hope you don't mind I'm just now doing this but I want to. :P This chapter has many flashbacks, including one I wrote as a separate story. Also my OC comes in, her name is Annika and shes Archer's twin sister. Also some parts in this are word for word in the show because I was watching the show when I wrote it. Even though everyone already knows this, I DO NOT OWN THE SHOW OR CHARACTERS, AND IF ITS A WORD FOR WORD SCENE I DON'T OWN THE THINGS THEY SAY.:) -Sage_

"Much! The King!" Robin tossed and turned, and Marian shook him awake from his nightmare to the best of her ability, tried to free him from his cage of nightmares. He sat upright, and she pulled him into her embrace, stroking his hair, until the shaking stopped. He pulled her out of bed, and they padded silently through the trees, until they reached a place they called The Forbidden Meadow. It was a place that their parents both had forbidden them to seek out again, because when they were both ten, Robin nearly broke his arm falling off the tall boulder in the center. The boulder was unique, it had names carved into it's surface. King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Sir Gwaine, Percival, Gauis and many more. When they had been younger, they had spent hours running their fingers over the surface, wondering who had put those names there, and what they meant. It had become their place, and whenever a nightmare threatened to throw everything out of balance, they came here, alone or together, and sat underneath the stars until the echos faded from their heads, and everything was blissfully quiet.

"Tell me."She said, and sank back against the grass. He lay next to her, and pulled her head on top of his shoulder.

"I was in the Holy Land. Saracens had come to kill the king, and I called for Much, but you came." He stroked her hair, and she pressed her face into his side, for she knew the rest of the dream.

"It was just a dream." she whispered, as they stared at stars.

"I know Blue-eyed girl." his voice broke.

"Hey," she nudged him, "We don't ever have to go back there."

"You don't know that."

She realized his true fear then, and sat up to look down at him. "Your scared the King will call you back."

"I don't ever want to go back there." he whispered, and she understood completely. Never again did she want to see those sands, they related to closely with swords, blood, and promises. It was the place where their nightmares had started, the place they were forced to revisit every night. With a sigh, they began to head back to camp, using the moonlight as their guide.

* * *

Robin's father watched his son and the Lady Marian walk away from the small clearing where they had talked. He knew that Archer's other half brother was at Locksley, he would have to collect him later. He took out a dart.

* * *

When Marian woke again, her hands and feet were bound, and her back was resting against Robin's. She struggled for a brief moment, but it was no use. They were stuck.

"Who are you?" Robin yelled, and his body vibrated. "Show yourself!"

"Why do you have us here?" Gisborne grunted, and- Gisborne. Why was he here?

"I have brought you here to save a life." a voice rasped, it was the kind of voice that grated on your ears, one that had been misused for many years, damaged by smoke.

"Couldn't you have just asked us?" Marian snapped.

"There is to much bad blood between you." the man went on, ignoring all of their previous comments.

"Yes, well maybe there is a reason for that bad blood." Robin spat, and Marian could practically feel Robin and Gisborne glare at each other.

"In order to save this life, you must work together." the man rasped on. Marian wished he would untie her, the ropes that bound her chafed against her wrists, and reminded her to much of Winchester.

"it all started when you were all young, and ends with the fire."

"The fire?" Marian asked, confused for a moment.

"So you know about the fire." Gisborne said.

"It was no secret we both became orphans that day." Robin said, and she remembered. The fire that killed his father. As the man began his story, she was reminded of when she visited the ashes with her father...

* * *

_August 31, 1174_

_The house was gone._ _Burned to a crisp with Malcolm Locksley and Ghislaine Gisborne. Marian's father stood conversing with the rest of the nobles, talking about whether to accept Robin of Locksley as the new Lord of the manor. No one seemed to notice the small boy crouched down in the rubble, his head in his hands. But Marian had. She let go of her father's hand and went to crouch next to the small boy, probably around her age of eight._

_"What's your name then?" she said kindly. He looked up at her, tear streaks on his face._

_"Robin. Robin of Locksley." he said._

_"Come on then." she held out her hand and helped him up. "I'm Marian."  
_

* * *

"More lies!" Robin snapped and she felt him lean forward slightly. She quickly snapped out of her haze of memory's._  
_

"There were never any children." Gisborne agreed. The man stood up and took out a knife. She felt Robin tense, and she closed her eyes, wishing she could cover her ears, she didn't want to hear Gisborne's dying pleas.

"W-What are you doing?" Guy stammered, and Robin shifted slightly, as if wishing he could shield her from the events they were about to witness.

"If you think me a liar," The man said, " Then there is no point in you being here."

"Are you going to kill me with no means to defend myself then?" if she hadn't known him well, she maybe would have mistaken the pride in his voice for fear.

"Oh so like you almost killed Marian then?" Robin retorted and to the best of her ability she elbowed him, the man was about to die. Gisborne's death didn't come though. The man simply cut his ropes and moved on to Robin, until Marian herself was free to move. They all stood up, shock evident on their faces, and began to move away from stories of their childhood, and the warm gaze of the fire.

"Hear my story or walk away. But if you do, your brother will surely die, and perhaps your sister too." she knew Robin's decision before he made it himself.

"Go Blue." he whispered to her, but she shook her head and sat right back down next to him.

"Keep talking." Robin commanded and she leaned against him,the man began his tale again, and it reminded her of a time that occurred many months ago...

* * *

_September 17, 1193  
_

_"Well say the words then handsome." Little John's earlier words had reminded her of the promise she had made to Robin. A promise that wouldn't be fulfilled now she could see, but Robin and her could at least die as husband and wife._

_"What words?" just hearing the note of confusion in his voice made her smile, she loved him so much._

_"I Robin, take you Marian," she explained, and felt his body slump a little._

_"Now?"_

_"Now is a good time I think. We, are in the company of the best seven witnesses England has to offer." she smiled around at them all, she loved each and every one of them, even Allan.  
_

* * *

"I never ran so fast." Guy said softly, and Marian shook herself awake from her memory's. Even if she had been lost in her own past, she had still been following the story. She gripped Robin's hand, hard and he squeezed back, staring down at her, with a look of sorrow in his eyes. Sorrow at what, she could not say.

"She was in labor." The man said.

"I see that now."

"What happened to the babies?" Robin said using the same soft tone as Guy, and Marian looked up at him, she had never heard him speak so gently.

"They were early, but strong." All of this talk of new life, of Robin's Father, somehow made Marian think of her mother, and the events that followed...

* * *

_April 12, 1183_

_The last rock was piled in place, and her mother was gone. How funny that life could end from something as simple as what seemed to be a common cold. A cold. Marian stared at the rocks where her mother lay, never to touch or speak to Marian again. Suddenly she was running, anything to get away from Knighten and all the memory's that swirled in her head. She ignored the shouts of her Father and best friend Robin, ignored the drops of rain hitting her head, only one thought fueled her head. Run._

_"Marian!" Robin yelled behind her but she ignored him, until he grasped her wrist and yanked her back._

_"Let me go!" she tried to free herself from his grasp, but to no success. The sky opened up and rain poured down, soaking them both to the bone. Robin didn't go though, like so many would have, and Marian began to sob at this simple realization. No one left except Robin, and her father._

_"Come on then." Robin held out his hand, and pulled her after him, not to Knighten, to finish the service for her Mother, but to Locksley manor, which was empty because Robin liked to give his servants whole days off to do whatever they wanted. He sat her down on his bed, and went to find her some warm clothes. As she looked around the room, she thought about how Locksley was her second home, for her and Robin had spent the last nine years of their lives looking in every crack, every crevice, and all of the villagers knew her by name, as the Lord of the manor was not much without his best friend Lady Marian, and his faithful man servant Much, who always accompanied them on their spontaneous adventures to make sure they didn't get themselves killed. Some of their best adventures had been planned in this room, but it felt like another lifetime, someone else's life._

_He came back in with a pair of his old trousers and shirt, and she changed quickly behind a screen in her room, before stepping out._

_"Thank you-" but the words were choked off by the rising sobs in her throat. Robin, instead of holding her until she stopped crying, took both of her hands in his, and began to dance with her. Normally she would have danced a few clumsy steps with him before pulling away with a laugh and a shake of her head, but today was different. Today she needed a spark, a bit of happiness. For the first time since her Mother got gravely ill, she felt the weight on her heart begin to lift, and she found herself smiling and laughing along with him, while he hummed an off key tune, and she giggled at how he couldn't keep a tune, and how he kept stepping on her toes. He was her best friend, her Robin. She knew him like the back of her hand, had long since memorized the sound of his laugh, his blue eyes and sarcastic comments. He had been the one who taught her how to shoot, climb trees, and the man who raced her when they rode. Robin was the one who ran after her in the rain, not any of her previous male suitors._

_She began to hum along with him and directed his steps so they moved more gracefully around the room. She could have stayed there for hours, but the time came to pull away, and she felt the spark go out. He sat her back down on the bed as if she was a small child, and went off in search of something to eat._

_No one else had been there for her like Robin had, not even her own father. She realized then, as if she was seeing the light for the first time, that she loved Robin._

_Just then he came into the room, a tray of food balanced in his hands, saying something about how "Much was home, and he made us food." but she ignored his commentary._

_"Robin?" she asked, and he looked down at her, and maybe the shining in her eyes gave her away, for he pulled her in and kissed her. Suddenly the storm, her mother, her father, Knighten, nothing else mattered except that she was Marian, and he was Robin, and at the moment nothing else mattered._

* * *

Marian listened from that point on with her full attention, about the fire, and Robin's father and how he killed Guy's mother. All of the sudden, Gisborne was on top of Robin, shoving him into the ground with his fingers.

"Guy!" she yelled and tried to shove him off her husband, but his grip was to strong.

"What will that achieve?" the man asked. "he did not kill Ghislaine."

"No but his Father did, and as his Father's dead.." Robin's face began to turn purple.

"No he isn't." Robin shoved Gisborne off of him and lept to his feet.

"Explain yourself." and so he did. About how Robin's Father fled the flames, survived, but still left Robin alone in the world.

"Get off me." Robin shoved away her comforting hand and stalked towards the man, shoving him against a tree. "My Father would never have left me alone!" Marian started forward. She had come to her own conclusion about who the man was, and wanted Robin to hear it from her, not Guy or the man himself. She was to late though, for Malcolm Locksley himself lowered his hood, revealing a face, marred by the flames of the fire, and he wore a look of such intense shame on his face that Marian felt sorry for him almost, until she saw Robin's face.

"No." Robin whispered, his face a mask of surprise and horror. "No."

"I'm sorry Robin." His father said.

"No." Robin shook his head back and forth as if to clear water from his ears. He walked across the clearing, and Marian knew better than to approach him at this moment. She stood next to Guy, who seemed just as much at a lost as she was. "I MOURNED FOR YOU!" Robin yelled, pointing a finger at his father, a look of raw pain Marian had only seen a few times, in the dead of night when he mistook her for a dream, or dreamed of his father.

"How could I be your Father, after what I had done. After all I had taught you about honor?" Robin just stared off into the distance, and Marian approached him, slipping her fingers through his, just for the comfort. "Robin," Robin looked back at his Father, "I couldn't bear to see the shame in your eyes."

"You killed her." Gisborne said, "all those years I thought it was my fault, that my parents died because of a fire I started." he started towards Malcolm with the look of man who was drowning upon his face. "That guilt was with me every day. EVERY DAY!" he too, slammed the man against a tree, and to Marian's surprise Robin went to his defense, pushing Gisborne back.

"Get off him!"

"Can't you see he deserves this?" Gisborne yelled, "He betrayed us both!"

"Your right. Death would be a release." Marian began to wonder if Robin had felt this way after he thought she had died. "There has been many times when I've been tempted to do the job myself."

"and you expect us to feel sorry for you?" Robin snapped.

"Of course not."

"So why now?" Gisborne demanded. "Why tell us after all this time?"

"because of your siblings." The man sighed and Marian twisted her wedding ring on her finger, thinking. "I need you to forgive each other." Robin half laughed and shook his head. "so that you can unite and save them. Everything I have told you is the truth. I have told you, so you don't destroy each other, like your Father's did." but he didn't know, Marian thought,didn't know how much damage Gisborne had done to both of them, inside and out. "Son-"

"No." Robin said, "No you lost the right to call me son when you left me alone in the world." his voice was filled with bitter revenge as he said the words he knew would hurt his father the most.

"Robin," Marian whispered in his ear, "Everything is a choice, everything we do. If you choose to leave them alone, how much better than him are you?"

"I know Blue." he shook his head, "I know. It doesn't matter anyways. I can never forgive Guy." Marian knew that he too was thinking of hot suns and desert sands, black leather, a silver sword, glinting in the sun, of pain and blood stained earth, wedding vows spoken twice.

"Why not?" the man rasped, he did not know.

"because he showed no remorse for what he did to Marian!" Robin took a big gulp of air, as if trying to clear out his head.

"You know nothing." Guy snapped back.

"You worked and killed for the Sheriff for years!" Marian yelled, because her Father, and so many others had died because of Vaisey, and working for him was a terrible offense.

"and you'd still be living under his power if it weren't for me!"

"What do you mean for you?" Robin retaliated, then seemed to realize something. "You killed the Sheriff?"

"and I intend to kill the new one too."

"Before that," Malcolm said, trying to get them back on topic, "You must rescue your siblings. After many years of searching I have found them. It wasn't wasn't wasy, they don't stay in the same place for long, but now they have no choice."

"Where are they?"

"Archer, in York dungeon, awaiting execution. Annika, pretending to be a Tavern Girl in York inn. I believe she may have a plot to get him out, but it will likely fail. I cannot help. I'm dying Robin." Robin's face fell, and he moved over to his father, his voice heavy.

"Father."

"You are my last chance." his Father pleaded, and Robin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I won't let him die Father, you have my word." Marian smiled, through it all, through her death and return, through his Father's return, through the Hell he'd endured both times in The Holy Land, he was still her Robin.

"I wish I could see you together at last." the man smiled and Robin looked alarmed,

"Surely we have more time-" he fell, a dart sticking out of his neck.

"Don't let her go." his father said, "She's just like your Mother."

Marian fell next, then Gisborne, the three slumped against the leaves.

* * *

Robin slowly woke up, and groaned. He had hit his head when he fell and it ached with a dull pain.

"Gisborne-" he began, but Gisborne cut him off as he helped him up.

"To York?" he asked, helping Marian up as well.


	14. Chapter 14

_Reviews are pie. Which basically means I love them;)_

_-Sage_

* * *

They picked up two horses from a nearby woodsmen, who wouldn't let them say no to having them. Marian was holding onto Robin, her cheek pressed into his shoulder, trying to keep the chill out from the coming winter.

"We go no further until I know I can trust you." Robin said, stopping his horse. They were close to camp, very close, and Robin didn't want to lead Gisborne to the camp without knowing he was trustworthy. "I can't betray the others and bring you to the camp." He had already put Marian in danger by being near Gisborne, he would not soon forget the sword in her stomach, and would not, by any means, remove his eye from Guy for a second.

"You can trust me." Gisborne said. Maybe this will work, Marian thought- "just don' t ask me to forgive your Father." Never mind.

"Now you listen to me Gisborne." Robin said, and Marian braced herself for the argument, "if we are going to work together, then we have to put all of that behind us."

"That's easy for you to say-" They both ignored Marian's indignant "Grow up!" "Your Father seduced my Mother!"

"Well it didn't take much effort, did it?" Marian elbowed Robin, now was not the time- Gisborne launched himself at Robin and knocked him and Marian off the horse, the men tumbled down the hill, Marian running after them.

"OH GROW UP!" she yelled at them, for they had reduced to fist fighting like young boys. Allan turned the corner of the hill at that moment, when Gisborne punched Robin in the face, and Marian tried to signal to him that all was well, but he ran up the hill anyways, tossing the cluster of fire logs he held over his shoulder as he went. "Stop it!" she tried to pull Robin away, but it was no use.

"You almost killed my wife, and you expect forgiveness!" Robin yelled, a fury blazing deep in his blue eyes.

"Robin!" she screamed, and he looked at her. "Don't do this. Don't taint us with his blood." she used the same words she she had used when he was attacking Allan, but this time he ignored her completely.

"I loved her as you loved her." Gisborne panted, and Marian looked at him in surprise, "I'll never ask for your forgiveness, I can't forgive myself." Marian, thinking fast, punched Robin in the face, knocking him out, before they could inflict any more damage upon each other. Gisborne looked at her in surprise and she glared at him.

"You both are like children," she said furiously, "and remember, I only punched him out because I know he will forgive me." The gang round the hill, and with cries of rage they desended on Gisborne shoving him to the ground, and tossing Marian aside, Kate raised a knife over his head, and prepared to split his skull.

"NO!" Marian screamed, and they all turned to look at her. Kate enraged that she was missing her chance to draw his blood opened her mouth, but Marian cut her off. "Robin said he's with us."

* * *

"That hurt Marian." Robin moaned and groaned on, as he had been for ten minutes.

"Then don't ignore me!" she pressed a wet cloth to his head, Djaq had said it would help draw off the pain.

"You must have a mean punch." Merlin laughed, and knelt to inspect Robin's head. "You'll have a black eye." Merlin said, pointing to the swelling around Robin's eye, "Remind me not to get on your bad side." Marian whacked him with the end of the cloth, and Merlin pretended to cower, "O fearful woman don't destroy me!" he mock pleaded.

"Oh shut up." she replied, but was grinning as she went back to tend to Robin's eye. "It's your own fault." she said as he cringed under her touch.

"So that's where you've been!With him!" Little John yelled, storming into camp. He had just returned from checking on Locksley to see that the villagers were cared for.

"I've been with my Father John." Robin said, pushing away her fingers from his face , only to take them in his hands.

"I thought your father was dead." Much said, crossing his arms as he watched Robin and Marian, as she disentangled her hand from his and went to grab him a fresh shirt that wasn't dirty from the forest floor.

"So did I." Robin said simply, and cut off Little John as he tried to argue, "He has decided to join us in our struggles and that is final." He threw on the shirt Marian had brought him, and tossed her his old one.

"What am I? Your servant?" she muttered and tossed it straight back at him.

"And were almost family aren't we Robin?"Gisborne said, speaking up for the first time, for his eyes had been on Marian and Robin, perhaps wondering how he could possibly could have missed the attraction between them.

"I have a brother and a sister." Robin announced, and everyone stared at him in open mouthed shock except for Marian, who now was trying to get Robin to stop rubbing at his eye.

"You'll only make it worse!" she forced his hand away from his face, "Honestly Locksley, it's a slight bruise-"

"You nearly killed me!"

"Yeah well you might be-"

"Two?!" Much interupted , looking like he kept expecting someone to laugh and say "Gotcha!" and then they could go back to tying to kill Gisborne.

"The brother is awaiting execution, the sister, a tavern girl, plotting to get him out, and I promised my dying Father, and I intend to keep that promise, that I would save him. So, me, Gisborne, and Marian will go to York, and get them out of there." Little John and Much both opened their mouths to object, but Robin cut them off, "No arguments."

"Who will bring me brother back to me Robin?" Kate demanded.

"Look." Merlin, not Robin responded, "We have all had losses. There is some point though, that you need to real-"

"What do you know about it new boy?" Kate snapped. "You grew up as a Farmer's boy, or as you told us, so you should know nothing about losses."

"Your right." Merlin looked at his feet, "I spoke out of turn, I a polo-"

"No."Robin commanded, "Any man," Marian raised her eyebrows, "Or woman, can say whatever they like. No exceptions Kate. He's right actually. I almost lost Marian to Guy, I did actually for a year. There wasn't one day in that year I didn't think or dream of her, about what he had done to her, but if I'm willing to trust him, so can you." Everyone remained silent after Robin's speech, and Marian and Gisborne looked at Robin, Marian leaning up to wrap her arms around him.

"I love you." She whispered in his ear.

"There isn't a day when I will stop loving you." he whispered in her ear, and she could hear the tears clogging his voice.

"We all go." Much demanded, interrupting their moment. Robin pulled away, all traces of tears gone from his eyes.

"No. Much I need you here." he shook his head. "We leave soon. Get ready."

* * *

"Archer, it's time." Archer looked up, a half witty smile on his face. "God have mercy on you." the guards seized him by the arms and began to drag him out of the cell.

"Rest in peace." his cell mate Tom said.

* * *

"Is there any news of my Brother?" Isabella snapped as she strode down a hall, obviously she wasn't concerned about his well-being, but she did care if he was stabbing her in the back.

"No Sheriff, not since he disappeared."

"and nothing on Hood?"

"None Sheriff."

Isabella stopped before the man her Master of Arms had brought her. He had a large nose, crooked teeth, and a scar running the length of one face.

"This is Lipscomb Sheriff, he collects the toll from the great North road."

"Thank you," she put on a kind show for the man, "Your loyalties will be rewarded I assure you, and if you see or hear anything, I want you to report to me immediately." Hood and his pretty little wife would pay. "Hood and his men are spreading terror throughout Nottingham." She dropped a silver coin into his hand, "You are helping keeping all of us safe." as Lipscomb walked away, the smile turned into a sneer. "Lets hope this little brat does better than the last one I paid good money for."

* * *

Robin, Marian, and Gisborne rode on the North road, until they reached a familiar sight.

"Tollhouse."

"It's not worth the risk." Marian said, digging in her purse for a coin, and she dropped it into the man's had.

"My lady?" he asked in a squeaky, underdeveloped voice, and Marian turned around, a questioning look on her face, "What would your names be Lady?"

"Marian, Robin, and Guy." she said smiling, "but not the outlaws." she said quickly, "we get confused for them a lot."

The man with the scar watched her leave, a cruel smile upon his ugly face.

* * *

Archer dropped a few coins into the guards hands, back from his meeting with the Sheriff of York's wife, mysteries of the orient indeed.

"Thank you my good man." he said to the guards, before heading back into the cell a cloth bundle of food wrapped tightly in his grip.

"You said they were going to kill ya!" Tom said indigatntly when Archer sat down next to him.

"Probably next time."

"Ya said that last time!" Tom protested, but Archer only shot him a grin, before spreading out the precious contents from the cloth pouch.

"Hungry?" he asked, a cocky grin on his face. "I'll take offers!"

* * *

Later that day, the guards once again hauled Archer out of the cell, but this time they led him up to the Sheriff's main chamber.

"Is this the petty thief you were talking about?" York sneered.

"My Lord, I rather object to the use of the word petty." One of the guards socked him in the stomach, hard.

"I know you." York pulled on Archer's chin so his face was the same level as his. "You're the one who took money from my cousin, but never delivered the weapons he purchased."

"A misunderstanding." Archer said, shrugging his shoulders.

"He brings back mysteries from the Orient Harold," Gweneth purred, "More than one."

"What kind of mysteries?"

Archer grinned. "Alchemy."

* * *

Robin and Marian walked down the streets of York, Gisborne not far behind. They had found the castle entrance, but that didn't help their problem. "There is guards on every entrance."

"I know." Robin bit his lip, "I think the only way to get in is to be invited."

"Let's find the tavern then." Marian said, thinking of Annika.

* * *

"It's a bit insulting he doesn't trust me to come back with the black powder on my own.""

"Will you just shut-" Archer knocked the guard out. He turned to leave-

"Archer!" Gweneth. "I was rather hoping you'd take me with you."

He sighed. This would be hard. "Gweneth, I am so grateful for everything you have done for me," just imagining the look on Annika's face if she saw what he was doing at this very moment made him cringe, "but I think we should try to resist each other don't you?" he turned to leave again, but Gweneth pulled him back.

"Archer quickly!" she gasped and pulled him into her bedchambers. "We'll be safe in here." she grabbed his face and brought it down to hers, passionately kissing him, pulling him slowly onto her bed.

"Gweneth he's a fake!" the Sheriff of York.

* * *

_I was going to do the whole York thing in one chapter like I did with Bad Blood, but I think it will be in separate parts because it's still got a while to go. I am a little excited to say that if any of you like the story, I will be making a sequel, but set in modern day, DUN DUN DUN._

_and I'm currently working on setting up the Merlin/Morgana romance, and more Merthur bromance._

_Reviews are golden, LOVE SAGE_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

"Oh no Gweneth. How could you?" he looked from her to Arthur. "I understand now why you were so desperate to have him pardoned. " The Sheriff of York actually seemed to be fighting away tears, as if his wife actually meant something to him. "Take them both to the dungeons, and prepare them to be put to death." He seemed to sniffle, "How could you do this?"

"She didn't!" Archer gasped, and jumped up. "It was me, your lordship, I forced her into the bedchamber, I made her." he knelt on his knees. "I beg for your forgiveness my Lord, I lost my head."

"It is true!" Gwenneth said, and Archer thanked the heavens that she caught on quickly.

"Of course it is," all the same, York looked relieved. "I never doubted you for a moment." he came forward and buried his face in her midsection, and she awkwardly patted him on the head. When the Sheriff pulled away, he focused his beady eyes on Archer. "I sentence this fraud to be put to death tomorrow. He will be boiled in oil, before his entrails, as well as another part of his body, are fed to the pigs!"

Annika walked from table to table, trying to ignore the jeering comments thrown her way. _You need a wage so when you free Archer you can actually set up a life later. _She repeatedly told herself as she filled yet another mans tankard up with the foul stuff.

"Excuse me." a man stepped in front of her, and she immediately scanned him over for any signs of the liqueur.

There were none.

"What do you want?" she said, maybe rather rudely.

"I'm looking for a tavern girl by the name of Annika." he said, and she narrowed her eyes, when a woman, the sort of woman you would think would be a princess, in a tall and mighty castle, not in a tavern, walked up.

"Stand next to her." Marian said thoughtfully.

"Why would-"

"Just do it!"

Robin stood next to Annika, and Marian smiled. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, they had the same hair color, and looked at her with the same annoyed look, their mouths puckered in unison, and she laughed out loud.

"That's her. Annika." she said, and the girl looked taken aback.

"How do you-" Robin turned around and looked the girl in the eye, evidentially he accepted Marian's judgment, even if he couldn't see the resemblance himself.

An hour later they all were eating chicken and bread, Robin had made Annika quit her job already, saying that he was Robin Hood, and could provide for her if she needed money.

Annika still wasn't quite sure she believed any of it, but they were her best chance of freeing Archer, and she needed him to be safe.

"We have two fairly difficult problems."

"Just two?" Marian asked, but Gisborne ignored her.

"one, getting in the castle, and two, getting out." A chair was thrown at their table, as two men began to brawl, fists flying everywhere, and Annika, wise in this manner, ducked beneath the table, and the others soon joined her after a bowl of soup was thrown at their heads.

"I think I have an idea." Robin said, grinning, and Marian knew that this plan involved embarrassing Gisborne.

"Were listening." Annika said, as she peeked her head out, then drew it back in as a tankard of mead was flung at her head.

""You," Robin gestured to Gisborne, "You get arrested, get taken to the dungeons, find Archer, and um, I'll bribe the guards and come and see you."

"and then what?"

"Then we escape!" Robin said it as if it was obvious, which it really was.

"How?"

"Well I don't know! I haven't worked that part out yet have I?" Marian shoved him over as a chair nearly hit where he was crouched, and partly because he was an idiot to think Gisborne would actually go with that. The guards arrested the wrestling men, and they went back to eating their meal like nothing had happened.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to get myself arrested! You will leave me in the dungeons." _Like little girls. _Marian thought, and stood up.

" "Oh grow up the pair of you! I'll get myself arrested." She said.

"NO!" Gisborne and Robin said in perfect probably in never to be repeated unison, and Robin pulled her back down next to him.

"Never Blue." He said, and thought for a moment. "Fine, I'll get arrested." Marian, who could see what would happen next, simply rolled her eyes as Gisborne grinned, and Robin picked up the loaf of bread from their table and hurled it at one of the guards heads. Gisborne, that cheeky grin on his face, began to leave, and the guards misunderstood, and hauled Guy roughly out the room and presumably to the dungeons, Guy yelling threats the whole way out.

"I'm looking for a man called Archer, have any of you heard of him?" Gisborne asked, even if Hood decided to leave him here, it couldn't hurt to find Archer. The man he asked, Tom, looked at him with wide suspsious eyes..

"Might have, why?" Tom asked.

"He's my brother."

"Brother?"

"Yeah. I've come to help him escape from this godforsaken place."

"Escape!" Tom practically yelled, loud enough for the whole cell to hear, and Gisborne quickly shushed him. "How will you escape?" Tom whispered in a soft voice.

"Well I haven't come alone." Gisborne said, if Hood ever did turn up that was. "You ever heard of Robin Hood?"

"Brother," Tom gasped.

"You're my brother." Gisborne said in a flat, disbelieving voice. "No."

"I am Archer!" Tom protested, but Gisborne shook his head. As soon as he declined Tom, every single other prisoner began to call out "I'm Archer!" in the desperate hope that they would too, be taken away from this terrible place.

"SHUT IT!" one of the guards banged on the bars and they all fell silent.

"I'm Archer." Said one more voice, and Gisborne looked up to see a tall lean, chained to the wall. He couldn't see his face, to see if there was any resemblance between him and Annika.

"Who's your father?" he began his list of questions that Robin, Marian, and him decided on before arriving in York.

"I don't know." The man shook his head, "and I don't care."

"Your mother?"

"Died when I was a baby"

"Got a sister?"

"Who's asking?"

"I was told you have a birthmark." The final check. He lifted up Archer's shirt, and sure enough it was there. "You are my brother."

"Who are you?" Archer asked.

"Guy of Gisborne." He replied, smirking.

Robin grinned. "Ok Annika, go to the gallows."

"Why the gallows?"

"In case we end up there. Blue, you come with me." And they went their separate ways.

"What actually is your plan?" Marian asked as they walked down the street, hand in hand.

"Quite simple really." He spotted a noble man pocketing a bag of a coins, "Wait here." He said and followed the man into his house.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Then the sound of someone being punched, and Robin poked his head out.

"Come on!" she followed him into his house, and saw the noble, and his wife, both unconsciouses on the floor. Not needing an explanation, Marian changed into the noble woman's clothes.

"Shall we Lady Hood?" Robin said, holding out his arm.

"We shall."


	16. Chapter 16

"You see, the truth is, Gisborne just had a bit to much to drink." Robin said, "and for that, we are truly sorry." Marian had never thought she would see the day when Robin actually was begging for understanding to noble, and a Sheriff at that!

"An assault on one of the Sheriffs men is an assault on the Sheriff himself." The Sheriff of York was a fat small man, with tiny wisps of hair on his chin and head that were white with age. His double chins wobbled as he considered.

"Oh believe me I know." Robin pronounced in a fake silly little voice like the Sheriff of York used, and Marian had to stifle a laugh. Robin was the biggest offender of them all, and this silly fat man didn't even know it. "Would this be enough to salve this terrible assault?" Robin plunked a bag of coins on the table, and Marian actually let out a small laugh, and the Sheriff's beady eyes found her, scanning her body in an uncomfortable manor.

"What seems to be the problem Miss?" he practically purred.

"Forgive my wife," Robin said, putting extra emphasis on the word _wife. _"She is not the smartest." Marian smiled, pretended to be, as Robin implied, a mindless woman only good for housework. In reality, she was deciding the best way to punch him when they got out of here.

Gisborne paced the length of the cell back and forth, he should have known better than to trust Hood. Just as he was thinking murderous thoughts about the Outlaw, the man himself strode through the door, Marian not far behind. She was dressed as she might have in the old days, when he had thought her feelings for him genuine, but he hastily disbanded all of those thoughts "He's over here." He said, and Robin strode across until he stopped in front of Archer.

Robin simply looked at Archer, and smiled. "Brother."

"So many brothers," Archer drawled, "and a sister to?" he jerked his head towards Marian.

"Sister in law." She corrected, "Robin we must hurry, the guards will wake up at any moment."

''I see." It wasn't Robin, Gisborne, or Archer's voice behind them however; it was The Sheriff's. "I see this whole cell has been fraternizing with outlaws." he smiled crudely, "Nice work, you can all go." The rest of the prisoners got up, and left. Robin, Marian, and Gisborne stared after them open mouthed. "They were promised freedom in exchange for help." He his mouth widened into a even more scary grin, "Prepare to be hanged."

So that was how they came to be, astride four horses with their hands tied, a noose by each of their necks.

"Are you sure you want to kill a Lady Sheriff!" Robin yelled towards the Sheriff's podium in one last-ditch effort to save Marian. The Sheriff said nothing, and Robin looked at Marian, and their eyes met. hers were blue. Of course they were, but they burned through him, and he did feel like she could see all of the things he needed to say.

"You might as well say sorry." She said, a half smile on her face.

"For what?" he protested.

"Calling me stupid."

He laughed. "I love you Blue-eyed girl."

"I love you Locksley." Gisborne and Archer were arguing about something, someone, but it was as if it was only Robin and Marian, enjoying their last moments together.

"Proceed with the first execution!" The Sheriff of York gleefully yelled. Marian closed her eyes as the guards slipped a noose around Gisborne's neck. She had never thought that she would ever cringe at the thought of Gisborne's death, and yet she had twice, in the last few days.

Annika approached the gallows, a newly purchased bow, clenched tightly in her grip. She was dismayed to see that Robin's comment about them ending up on the gallows, at what she had thought at the time was a joke, had now come true. Archer was there to, and she almost wanted to stick her head in a bucket of water. Why were all men such complete idiots as to get themselves caught on the gallows?

She had heard that Robin Hood was never caught. That must have been a lie than, she thought to herself. Archer first. She was rather caught off guard when a giant puff of orange smoke blew in her face, obscuring the gallows from view.

"Arch-" she coughed, before feeling his hand on her shoulder.

"We need to leave." He practically dragged her into the stables of a rich noble man, and began to prepare a horse.

"What about them? We can't just leave them!" Annika gestured towards the gallows.

"I cut their ropes as I left. They should be fine." He was avoiding looking into her eyes, just continued to prepare the horse.

"Why aren't we going with them?" she asked, confusion on her face.

"Annika, Guy of Gisborne is our brother. Do you know what that means?" when she shook her head, he pressed on, "it means that the Sheriff of Nottingham is our sister."

"So what?" she was angry then, "Were just gonna beg at her feet? Did that work in the Orient? No! We had fight and crawl our ways up the line and you just stand there like she's gonna help us?"

"AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THIS TEAM?" Archer yelled, "THAT'S RIGHT NOTHING. I'VE HAD TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAMN THING WHILE YOU PLAY TAVERN GIRL!"

"How would you like it," she said quietly, "if you had men fawning over you all day just to get into "Better Graces"?" she turned back towards the gallows. "This is goodbye Archer." And she left, something they had sworn as two frightened orphans never to do, and left him staring after her.


End file.
